Rastafari

See also: rastafari

English

Etymology

From Amharic ራስ (ras, “Duke”, literally “head”) and ተፈሪ (täfäri, “revered”) from ተፈሪ መኮንን (täfäri mäkonn, “Haile Selassie”, literally “feared (son of) Makonnen”). More at Haile Selassie.

Proper noun

Rastafari

1. Rastafarianism.

   Synonym: Rasta

Noun

Rastafari (plural Rastafari or Rastafaris)

1. A Rastafarian.
   • 1994, Barry Chevannes, Rastafari: Roots and Ideology, Syracuse University Press, →ISBN, page 190:

     At the same time, social, economic, and even political relations remain individualistic and personal rather than communitarian as in the case of the Bobo. Thus most Rastafari are allowed to lead their own lives as members of a religion but without the risk of violating collective discipline. They have a sense of identity but without ritual obligation.

   • 2018, Michael Barnett, The Rastafari Movement: A North American and Caribbean Perspective, Routledge, →ISBN:

     Over time, the Bible has been altered from its original state. For political and economic reasons, things have been edited out, especially in the case of the King James I version of the Bible (Nicholas 1979). Therefore many Rastafari are particularly selective about what they believe in the scriptures.

   • 2020, Erin C. MacLeod, “Rastafari Citizenship Strategies in Ethiopia: Ethnic Existence, Diaspora Claims, Resident Identification”, in Ian O. Boxill, editor, Ideaz, volume 15 (A 2020 Vision Perspective on the Rastafari Movement: Revisiting the Field & Taking Steps Forward), Kingston: Arawak Publications, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 167:

     Repatriation is viewed as a must for Rastafari, and the earliest Rastafari did not have the resources to make this return possible or, as anthropologist Charles Price details, “sold all they possessed in order to leave for Africa” (2009, 218). Price has spoken of the shift in class among Rastafari; though many Rastafari are still economically deprived, there do exist “monied Rastafari” (ibid.).